On Monday Yaron Yadan, chairman of the Daat Emet organization, will be giving a lecture. Yadan is a rabbi who left religion. He claims that his research shows Chazal's lack of understanding in the natural sciences, and that therefore their rulings are mistaken

Monday night there will be a lecture by Yaron Yadan, chairman of the Daat Emet organization, held at the Yabud community center. Yadan, a rabbi who left religion, will tell his fascinating life story, the process of leaving religion which he underwent in his youth. After he left religion, in 1998, he founded the organization, with the goal of scientifically researching Torah texts.

The organization currently has over 500 members and supporters. Yadan claims that his research shows Chazal's lack of understanding in the natural sciences, and that therefore their rulings are mistaken. This view does not accord with that of the religious/Charedi world, which holds that G-d spoke through the mouths of Chazal.

Yadan and the organization's activities against the common view of the Charedi public have led the Charedi leadership to declare war on the Daat Emet organization and against its chairman. Yeshiva students are forbidden to read the articles which the organization publishes, lest they discover "the lies of the Charedi world" and lead to the collapse of Orthodox rabbinical authority.

Yadan and organization members state that they regularly receive telephone threats, and the physical violence is getting worse. In all cases, organization members add, complaints have been made to the police and those making the threats have been arrested.

Sharon Yonatan

From: Mekomon #385 July 5, 2002 28 Tammuz 5762